Flew on flight line patrol

Suzanne Simpson, wildlife ecologist at the Birdstrike Control Program, and her border collie Flew walk past C-130s as they patrol an area of Hurlburt Field’s flight line. Flew’s presence keeps wildlife away from the runway where they could be hit by aircraft.

DEVON RAVINE / Daily News

By LAUREN SAGE REINLIE / Daily News

Published: Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 10:02 AM.

HURLUBRT FIELD — Patrolling the 700 acres of the base’s flight line is not an easy task, but Flew, a sweet-tempered border collie, was born for the job.

“Border collies live to work. They aren’t happy dogs unless they have a job,” said Suzanne Simpson, Flew’s handler. “She loves what she does.”

Every day, the 9-year-old dog patrols the flight line and its grassy areas to herd away birds — say, 4-foot-tall great blue herons — or other wildlife that could cause catastrophic damage to a plane barreling down the runway. Her job is an important one that could save money — and lives.

“If you suck a big bird in the engine of an airplane, that’s a half million dollars to fix. If you lose an aircraft, you’re talking about people and you can’t even put a dollar figure on that,” said Lt. Col. Chris Lowe, chief of wing safety for the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field.

Besides running off birds, deer and other small animals, Flew marks her territory to lay down the scent of a predator that warns wildlife away. She crouches and stalks through the grass, appearing like a wolf on the hunt, although she’d never hurt her prey. Flew is the newest patrol dog at Hurlburt, where the program has been in place for at least nine years. She arrived three weeks ago from her last job at a base in Kyrgzstan.

Lowe said some other runways use loud cannons or other costly methods to scare off wildlife, but Hurlburt has found border collies to be the most effective tool.

Flew chases cowbirds in the spring and doves in the fall. During the winter deer — her specialty — might wander onto the flight line during their mating season.

“For Flew, the deer are the most fun to chase,” Simpson said. “The little small birds, there’s nothing to it, but deer she’s all about.”

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HURLUBRT FIELD — Patrolling the 700 acres of the base’s flight line is not an easy task, but Flew, a sweet-tempered border collie, was born for the job.

“Border collies live to work. They aren’t happy dogs unless they have a job,” said Suzanne Simpson, Flew’s handler. “She loves what she does.”

Every day, the 9-year-old dog patrols the flight line and its grassy areas to herd away birds — say, 4-foot-tall great blue herons — or other wildlife that could cause catastrophic damage to a plane barreling down the runway.
Her job is an important one that could save money — and lives.

“If you suck a big bird in the engine of an airplane, that’s a half million dollars to fix. If you lose an aircraft, you’re talking about people and you can’t even put a dollar figure on that,” said Lt. Col. Chris Lowe, chief of wing safety for the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field.

Besides running off birds, deer and other small animals, Flew marks her territory to lay down the scent of a predator that warns wildlife away. She crouches and stalks through the grass, appearing like a wolf on the hunt, although she’d never hurt her prey.
Flew is the newest patrol dog at Hurlburt, where the program has been in place for at least nine years. She arrived three weeks ago from her last job at a base in Kyrgzstan.

Lowe said some other runways use loud cannons or other costly methods to scare off wildlife, but Hurlburt has found border collies to be the most effective tool.

Flew chases cowbirds in the spring and doves in the fall. During the winter deer — her specialty — might wander onto the flight line during their mating season.

“For Flew, the deer are the most fun to chase,” Simpson said. “The little small birds, there’s nothing to it, but deer she’s all about.”